Fraud, Security and Privacy FAQs

This article is designed to provide answers to commonly asked fraud, security and privacy questions.

What should I do to help keep my account secure?

Someone used my phone without permission. What should I do?

What should I do if my phone is lost or stolen?

What is identity theft?

How can I protect myself against identity theft?

What does T-Mobile do to prevent identity theft?

Someone opened a T-Mobile account using my information, without my permission. What should I do?

What is phishing(email) and smshing(sms/text message)

I lost my Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card. What should I do?

What should I do with my old Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card(s)?

What should I do to help keep my account secure?

Your Account

T-Mobile policy requires that the primary account holder contact Customer Care to provide approved authorized users who are allowed to have access to your account. The primary account holder and any authorized users will be required to verify the account.

All T-Mobile accounts can be protected by a password, and T-Mobile encourages you to use this protection. T-Mobile Customer Care representatives will use your password to verify that callers have authorized access to your account before making any changes or releasing information.

To set up your account password, contact Customer Care.

My T-Mobile

T-Mobile provides customers with the ability to service their own accounts through My T-Mobile, which also requires a password. Many people choose passwords that are easy to remember, but they may also be easy for others to guess. Here are a few tips:

• Never use any part of your Social Security number (SSN) 
• Mix numbers and letters 
• Typically, longer passwords are more secure 
• Try to avoid obvious things like pet or child names

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Someone used my phone without permission. What should I do?

The best way to prevent someone from using your phone without your permission is to make sure your phone’s PIN or lock code is set up and turned on. Virtually all mobile devices have PIN or lock code functionality, which is essentially a numbered pass code that will prevent device operation until the correct code is entered. With an active PIN or lock code, someone that borrows your phone can only use it with your permission.

If you are unsure how to set up your PIN or lock code, check the instruction booklet for your device. For information on equipment features and online versions of their instruction manuals, go to T-Mobile’s Phone and Device Support page. If you need additional help, any T-Mobile store representative can assist you or you can call T-Mobile Customer Care.

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What should I do if my phone is lost or stolen?

If your phone is lost, log into My T-Mobile to suspend your account. You are responsible for all calls made on your phone, so suspending your account as soon as you realize your phone is missing will help prevent any unauthorized use and additional charges. If you find your lost phone later, return to My T-Mobile to restore service.

If you have Equipment Protection with Mobile Security on your account, you can use My T-Mobile to try locating, locking, or wiping your phone before contacting the insurance company, Asurion, to file a claim. If you do not have this feature on your account, then you will need to replace the phone. You have the ability to order a replacement phone through My T-Mobile.

Setting up your device’s PIN or lock code is an excellent way to reduce the risk of unauthorized calls and charges, particularly if your phone is stolen. For information on setting up your device’s PIN or lock code, go T-Mobile’s Phone and Device Support page.

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What is identity theft?

Identity theft is a crime where personal consumer information is acquired—usually stolen—and used without authorization, to commit fraud and other crimes. These crimes may include using the stolen consumer information to purchase items on credit, gain access to restricted data, or to establish services, such as credit cards.

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How can I protect myself against identity theft?

For an identity thief to be successful, he or she must first have access to your personal information. An important step in protecting yourself from identity theft is to limit that access.

For information on protecting yourself against identity theft, refer to the following tips:

• Never throw away bills or correspondence containing your social security number, driver’s license, credit card numbers, loan numbers, or any other financial or personal information. Use of a shredder is recommended; they are relatively inexpensive and are available at most retail stores with an office supply department. 
• Never provide your personal information over the phone to telemarketers or other unverifiable callers. 
• Be wary of phishing schemes. 
• Don’t carry your social security card with you, and only carry those credit and debit cards that you use frequently. 
• Check your credit report at least once a year, and inspect it for inaccuracies.

Note: While there are no guarantees, following these tips will help reduce your exposure to potential identity theft. For more tips on preventing identity theft and what to do if you discover you have become a victim, go to the Federal Trade Commission’s Identity Theft Website.

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What does T-Mobile do to prevent identity theft?

T-Mobile uses strict security measures, including password validation and account verification, to protect our customer’s personal information. In addition, T-Mobile provides ongoing training to our customer service representatives and administers call quality programs. All of this ensures that, as best as possible, we only deal with authorized users.

T-Mobile also complies with all applicable federal and state regulations regarding the care, use, and disclosure of customer information. For more information on the applicable Federal Privacy and Security regulations, go to T-Mobile Privacy Notice.

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Someone opened a T-Mobile account using my information, without my permission. What should I do?

T-Mobile takes fraud claims very seriously. We will do our utmost to ensure that if you have been victimized, the inconvenience to you is minimal. When you notify T-Mobile, we will conduct a thorough investigation and provide you with an expeditious resolution.

To notify T-Mobile, perform the following steps:

1. Immediately contact Customer Care.
2. Advise the representative that you did not authorize the account.
3. Be prepared to provide contact information and information on how you discovered the account.

T-Mobile will conduct a thorough investigation and provide you with an expeditious resolution.

Note: You may also want to obtain a copy of your credit report from the credit bureaus and inspect it for any additional unauthorized accounts or inquiries. Additional information and help can be found at the Federal Trade Commission’s Identity Theft Website.

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What is phishing (email) and smshing (sms/text message)

How phishing and smshing works

• A customer receives an email or sms that appears to be from a legitimate institution and one that he or she does business with, such as a bank. 
• The email or sms contains all appropriate branding and language and in every way appears to have been sent, as in this example, from his or her bank. The email or sms may even include links to the bank’s Web site, or one designed to look like it, and language ensuring the security and privacy of the e-mail or sms. 
• The e-mail or sms will request that the customer verify his or her password, social security number, or other such personal information. The e-mail or sms may suggest it is a routine request or that the information is needed to restore a lost file. Typically, the e-mail or sms will attempt to create a sense of urgency by stating that failure to reply will result in account closure, fees, etc.

Identity thieves send these e-mails or sms, typically in a mass mailing, in the hopes that the recipients will respond and provide their personal information. Any information the identity thief receives is either resold or used to commit fraud.

Things to look for

• Phishing emails or smshing sms often use generic greetings, such as Dear valued (business name) customer, or have no greeting at all, stating that the email or sms is being sent to all customers or clients. 
• Watch for links that claim they will take you to your account. These links often direct you to sites designed to emulate the real Web site, but are actually reproductions designed to fool you into providing your personal data or access passwords, which are then sent to the identity thief. 
• Look for language attempting to create a sense of urgency, such as you must respond within 48 hours to avoid account closure. Some phishing emails or smshing sms may even claim that your account has been compromised and your verification is required to protect your account from unauthorized use.

What you can do to avoid becoming a victim of phishing or smshing

• Never respond to an email or sms containing the elements described above and never provide your personal data. Instead, contact the business directly and make sure that the email or sms is legitimate. 
• Remember that few, if any, businesses—particularly those requiring your personal data such as banks, wireless companies, etc.—will ever request your personal data in an email or sms. Be suspicious if you suddenly receive an email or sms requesting that you validate your personal information. 
• Delete the email or sms and do not click any of the links it provides.

Note: T-Mobile will never request that your personal data be verified by email or sms.

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I lost my Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card. What should I do?

Your SIM card is the device that tells T-Mobile who is making a call and whose account to bill, so losing your SIM card is just as important as losing your phone.

If you have lost your SIM card, immediately call T-Mobile Customer Care and inform them that your SIM card has been lost. Customer Care will be able to cancel the SIM card so that no calls can be made and direct you on how to obtain a new one.

Note: A SIM card is very small and easy to misplace. Once you have placed your SIM card into your wireless phone or device, there are few, if any, reasons to remove it. The best way to keep your SIM card safe is to leave it in your wireless device until you are ready to either replace the device or, for some reason, need to replace the SIM card.

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What should I do with my old Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card(s)?

There may be times when you replace your old SIM card with a new one, but it is important to remember that the old SIM card should be taken care of appropriately. If you are replacing your SIM card, it is likely that the old SIM card is no longer active; however, it may still contain your address book, called numbers, and any other information you saved to the SIM card memory.

For tips on what to do with your old SIM card, refer to the following information:

• Treat your old SIM card as you would an address book or other collection of personal information. Do not throw it away or give it to anyone. 
• Many wireless devices that require a SIM card also have tools that allow you to delete all data saved to your SIM card, such as your phone book. After transferring any data you want to save, delete the data from your old SIM card. You can find help on deleting SIM card data from your device’s instruction booklet, or from T-Mobile’s Phone and Device Support page. 
• If you are sure you no longer need the old SIM card, destroy it by shredding or cutting the SIM card.

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